


Tretij's Glow

by solidsnakessolidcakes



Category: Metal Gear
Genre: Abuse, Child Abuse, Child Neglect, Emotional Abuse, M/M, angst i think, gay children that dont even realize theyre gay, listen its sad but Tretij is good at comforting ok, overuse of the word crying, theyre like 14-15 in this so not really children but
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-16
Updated: 2019-07-16
Packaged: 2020-06-29 09:04:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19826908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/solidsnakessolidcakes/pseuds/solidsnakessolidcakes
Summary: Eli and Mantis were both victims of abuse. Of course abuse comes in a million different ways. You just have to realize it first.Eli's (biological) father was subtle, at first. But even children pick up on these things.





	Tretij's Glow

Eli and Mantis were both victims of abuse. Of course abuse comes in a million different ways. You just have to realize it first.

Eli's (biological) father was subtle, at first. But even children pick up on these things.

"Eli! Ocelot told me to tell you to wash your hair!"

"I shower at night."

"Yeah but you don't do a very good job so it's all greasy. You gotta wash it before you leave."

Now Eli is prideful. He had to be, after all, in his situation, if he wasn't, he would likely get knocked down a few too many times and eventually not get up.

But right now he was just too damn tired to start a fight. He had been up late last night by this horrible tooth ache and had to wake up early to meet up with Tretij. He didn't even get eight hours, when normally during the summer he got anywhere from eight to twelve.

"I do my best, okay!?" He snapped, shutting the bathroom door and locking it.

The thing about most prideful people is that they still get knocked down. Just not really in front of people.

As soon as he shut the door he started crying. He really was trying his best, But it still wasn't good enough. Nothing he did was ever good enough. Every day he was told a new thing he did poorly, and yet not once were any of his talents mentioned. He just got scolded for being _him_.

Every time he asked his (few) friends why they liked him he got the same answer.

"Because you're cool!"

But he didn't care if he was "cool." He didn't want to be cool he wanted to be _good at something_.

He would show people things he was _proud_ of. Things he put his heart and soul into, searching for praise.

But no one cared.

The most he ever got was a short "cool." Nothing more. Half the time he was acknowledged and nothing else.

He took a few deep breaths before looking up at himself in the mirror.

He was never really a pretty crier, even as a baby. But he still cried. Even when his _brother_ was silent.

His face would get red and blotchy first. Then his nose would get runny. Then tears started _pouring_ out of his eyes.

"What'd you say Eli?" His father sounded both closer to the door and equally as aggressive as always. He genuinely hadn't heard, he just sounded like that. But in Eli's already ruined state it made him very anxious.

"Nothing!" He did everything he could to not sound choked up but he was, and you could hear it in his voice.

Apparently he accepted that as an answer, as he didn't reply.

After Eli more of less calmed down he continued to get ready. Of course he first shot Wolf an angsty text about how nobody considered him good enough, but other than that nothing was out of the ordinary. Including that "avoid father" part.

Right as he was pulling his socks on (about fifteen minutes before he had to leave, he was getting impatient,) Big Boss appeared behind him.

"Eli, have you showered yet?"

"I don't have time, I have to leave in fifteen minutes. I would normally be able to shower in that amount of time, but apparently that's not good enough." Maybe it was the relief from crying his eyes out for the first time in years, or maybe not having to look into his eyes that made him bolder. Or just stupidity. Probably a mix of the three.

"Oh don't give me that."

 _What, my feelings?_ he thought bitterly, yet said nothing.

"Listen, Eli, we just want you to be taken care of okay? You just don't wash your hair well enough. It's embarrassing."

"But I _try_ , okay!? I do my best on everything and nothing is good enough! It's gotten to a point where I don't even _know_ anything I do good!" This time adrenaline from speaking his mind and emotional overflow were added into the mix. That meant he spoke every word on his mind. He really didn't do that often, but he liked the opportunities he got.

"Oh come on, that's bullshit. Wanna know something else you're not good at!? Brushing your teeth! Your toothbrush hasn't been used in months!" Now that was only partly true, recently Eli had been trying to be better about that, but he did have problems before. Of course that didn't make it hurt any less.

"But I'm trying my best! It's just hard sometimes!" By now he was crying and hyperventilating, curling into a ball.

"How is waking up, going to the bathroom and brushing your teeth hard, Eli!?"

At this point Eli was crying too much to respond, so he didn't. Big Boss scoffed, stalking away angrily.

Eli left for Tretij's house a few minutes early, when he finally stopped crying.

Now Tretij was facing a very different kind of abuse. Oftentimes his father would disappear for hours, sometimes days, at random. He also got drunk every time he was home, and go forbid his son had a _friend_.

So Eli and Tretij more or less had to sneak around. As soon as Eli got near the familiar house he checked to see if there was a car in the driveway. Nothing, as usual.

He walked up to the door, knocking somewhat roughly a few times. On the walk there he had only overthought the exchange, trying to make it his fault. So he wasn't really in high spirits.

Thankfully, it was Tretij who answered the door.

"Oh, Eli." The psychic said gently, empathy dripping from his voice. He had seen the memories, no doubt. Eli let out a puff of air, slipping inside the house.

Tretij rubbed his arms gently before leading him upstairs by the wrists. They both went into Tretij's bare-bones bedroom, sitting across from each other. Tretij sat in his regular criss-cross position, with Eli just plopping himself down a bit more lazily.

"It's okay, just let it out." As soon as the words left the empath's mouth Eli fell forward into his lap, letting out a loud, long whine.

"It's okay Eli, it's okay." Tretij hunches over to be closer to his ear, one hand tangling in his hair and the other rubbing where his neck met his back.

"Tr- wha- M- Why is nothing I- Why can't I be good enough!?"

"Shhhh, it's okay. I know everything you do you me if perfect, or even better." He spoke in a soft voice, continuing to and at his back. Eli continued to whimper out nonsense into Tretij's lap, eventually tiring himself out. He let out a small yawn, shifting so he was laying on his side instead of his stomach.

"It's okay, Eli, you should get some rest. You didn't sleep enough last night." Tretij kept the same hushed tone, shifting so Eli's head was on the pillow instead of his lap.

"Mh- where are you going, you're warm," He mumbled sleepily.

"I'm gonna go get you some painkillers for your tooth and some more blankets. I know you like to sleep with like, three."

"But after that you need to lay with me."

"Of course, Eli."

After that Eli more of less spaced out until Tretij came back. He then sat up to take the ibuprofen, chugging the glass of water before curling back into the sheets, this time pressing into the wall so Tretij had room on the twin bed.

They always laid like this when they had sleepovers, ever since Tretij complained about a backache after sleeping on the floor's at Eli's. Tretij didn't sleep much, but Eli got used to having his presence there. Sometimes he thought of it when trying to fall asleep by himself.

"Get some rest." Tretij muttered, placing a hand on the back of Eli's head as he shoved his face into his bony stomach.

Eli might have to protect Tretij from any and all physical harm, but Tretij was Eli's emotional shield. In Eli's mind, Tretij was the one and only person that would be there for him unconditionally. That was how it was, even as kids.


End file.
